News
We are thrilled to welcome Abeer Almassri and Heba Al-Tanani to the University of St Andrews and into our STEPS family.
Abeer’s journey here has been long and incredibly challenging. She and her family endured the devastating impact of war and displacement in Gaza, losing their home and loved ones. Despite these unimaginable difficulties, Abeer held on to her dream of pursuing her MSc in Health Data Science at St Andrews.
For nearly two years, the siege and border closures made it nearly impossible for her to leave Gaza. Thanks to the extraordinary perseverance of Abeer herself, the support of her family, the STEPS team, the University of St Andrews, MP Wendy Chamberlain, and many kind-hearted individuals, she has now made it safely to St Andrews.
In her own words:
“Now that I have finally arrived in St Andrews, I am overwhelmed with relief and gratitude. It has been a long and difficult journey full of uncertainty and loss, but also by hope. I am determined to make the most of this opportunity, to grow academically and personally, and to use my education to contribute positively in the future.”
We are equally delighted to welcome Heba Al-Tanani, another Palestinian student from Gaza, who joins us on a HESPAL scholarship to pursue her MSc in Artificial Intelligence. Although her scholarship is different, she will be very much part of the STEPS family, and we are honoured to have her with us.
Both Abeer and Heba embody resilience, courage, and hope, and we are so proud to stand alongside them as they begin this new chapter at St Andrews. 💙
